A 6lb penalty makes this more difficult for Mick Easterby's BLUE SPINNAKER than the race that he won at Doncaster on the opening day of the flat racing season but he won that with plenty in hand and can follow up in a race where the main dangers look to be Josephine Malines and Royal Straight. Richard Fahey's gelding ran well like all of his stable companions at Doncaster on his reappearance when chasing home Leslingtaylor in the 17 runner apprentice handicap and he has every chance racing off just a 1lb higher mark today. Naledi won well on the Polytack two starts ago but is likely to struggle back on turf today, while Rod Millman's Lucy's Perfect is far from certain to handle the ground. John Spearing's Croeso Cusan will not mind the underfoot conditions but seems to be too high in the weights now and of more interest may be Ann Duffield's Josephine Malines, who handles the ground and comes from a yard that has started the season well enough. Blue Spinnaker won with plenty in hand at Doncaster though and a 6lb penalty may not prevent him from winning again.
Blue Spinnaker (IRE) 10-3fav (10-2) Held up well in rear, headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, ran on, won at Doncaster 1m 2f am hcp (0-70) (4yo+) (5) gs in Mar beating Nisaal (10-10) by 3 1/2l, 17 ran.
Swiss Art (IRE) 11-1 (9-6) Held up, headway 2f out, no impression, 5th of 8, 14l behind Daniel Thomas (8-13) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f app sll stks (6) pol in Dec.
Royal Straight 6-1 (8-3) Held up in mid-division, headway over 3f out, chased leader over 2f out, ridden and edged right to lead over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, 2nd of 17, 1 1/4l behind Leslingtaylor (9-4) at Doncaster 1m 4f app hcp 0-70 (5) sft in Mar.
Croeso Cusan 7-1 (8-6) Broke well, soon steadied to rear, ridden and headway 3f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 13, 9l behind I'm In The Pink (9-3) at Nottingham 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) hvy in Nov.
Lucy's Perfect 14-1 (8-12) Chased leaders, challenged 4f out, led on rail over 3f out, until 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 8th of 16, 8l behind Aine's Delight (8-6) at Windsor 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-65 (6) gd in Oct.
Litenup (IRE) 7-1 (9-2) Led, driven and headed over 3f out, soon ridden, weakened over 1f out, 12th of 13, 10l behind Turkish Sultan (8-6) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp (0-55) (6) pol in Jan.
Turbo Shandy 33-1 (8-10) Very slowly away, held up in rear and took good hold, headway on inside over 1f out, weakened final furlong, 8th of 11, 13l behind Desert Vision (9-4) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (0-65) (6) pol in Nov.
Naledi 11-1 (9-1) Towards rear, ridden over 2f out, not troubled leaders, 6th of 12, 4l behind Duneen Dream (8-11) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp 0-50 (7) pol in Mar.
Josephine Malines 7-2fav (8-11) Mid-division, headway and not much room over 1f out, soon switched right, stayed on well to take 3rd inside final furlong, nearest at finish, 3rd of 13, 6l behind Lordship (8-6) at Ayr 1m app hcp 0-60 (6) sft in Aug.
Desert Fairy 8-1 (9-1) Mid-division, in rear over 3f out, no impression after, 7th of 9, 8l behind Querido (8-11) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp 0-50 (7) pol in Mar.
Six of Clubs 25-1 (8-6) Tracked leaders early, steadied over 5f out, headway over 2f out, chased winner over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 3rd of 11, 7l behind Dulce Domum (8-6) at Southwell 1m 4f app hcp (0-55) (6) fbs in Mar.
Key Partners (IRE) 66-1 (8-8) Pulled hard in rear, behind final 3f, last of 7, 21l behind Sedgwick (8-12) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f clm stks (5) pol in Feb.
Komreyev Star 25-1 (8-8) Raced wide, always in rear, tailed off halfway, 13th of 14, 19l behind Isitcozimcool (8-12) at Southwell 1m hcp 0-52 (6) fbs in Feb.
Piverina (IRE) 14-1 (8-8) Held up, headway to track leaders over 4f out, chased winner over 2f out, until over 1f out, 4th of 11, 13l behind Dulce Domum (8-6) at Southwell 1m 4f app hcp (0-55) (6) fbs in Mar.
